Starch ing-machine



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet l. J. MGKAY. STARCHING MACHINE.

(No Model.) 5 sheets-sheet '2'. J. MGKAY. YSTARGHING. MACHINE.

Patented Mar. 29, 1892.

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STARGHING MACHINE.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets--Sheet 4. 1 J. MoKAY.

STARGHING MACHINE.

No. 471,720. Patented Mar. 29, *1892p 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

' J. MGKAY. STARGHING MAGHINE.

` Patented Mar. 29, 1892,.

o., wAsHmmc ma mums ravens UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH MCKAY, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

STARCHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,720, dated March 29, 1892. Application tiled August 27,` 1891. Serial No. 403,902- (No model.)

T0 aiZwi/om. t may concern.:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH MCKAY,0f the city of Troy, county of Rensselaer, State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Starching-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in starching-machines, and more particularly to an improved arrangement of the conveyingbelts used therein for passing the articles to be starched through and from out. of the machines, and also to other features of construction having for their object the better adaptation of this class of machines to the uses for which they are designed.

My improvements upon this class of apparatus are shown as applied to the starchingmachine described and illustrated in an application for Letters Patent made by me and filed January 27, 1891, Serial No. 379,349, and which is now pending.

Accompanying this specification, to forma part of it, there are five plates of drawings containing twelve figures illustrating my invention,with the same designation of parts by letter reference used in all of them.

In the illustrations, Figure l is a side elevation of the mechanism. Fig. 2 is another elevation taken on the side that is opposite to that shown at Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the front end of the machine and that end at which-the articles to be starched are entered. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the rear end of the machine at which the starched articles are discharged. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 0f Fig. 4, and Fig. G is a top view of the machine. Fig. 7 is a perspective of one of the bearing-arms in which the journaled ends of one of the beltconveying rollers turn and shown as detached from the machine. Fig. 8 is a section of one of the conveying-belt rollers, shown as detached and as taken on the line c2 x2 of Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a part of the machine, illustrating a modification by which the feedrollers run continuously. Fig. l0 is a perspective of one of the cross-heads. Fig. 1l is a perspective of one of the slide-blocks of the cross-head, and Fig. 12 is aperspective of one of the center carriers and part of its cover.

The several parts of the mechanism thus illustrated are designated by letter reference,

and the function of the parts is described as follows:

The letter F designates the frames of the machine, Witllin and upon which the working parts are connected and supported, and the letters f2 designate a rearward extension of these frame parts 'at the rear end and at each' as tapped for the insertion of a drip-cockfor the escape of the water condensing from the steam.

The letter P designates a platform that is arranged within the starch-trough T, and this platform is made with a iiat center part p2, that rises on an incline toward the rear, and

the end parts p3 and p4, that rise on an in-.

cline from said center part toward the top of the trough. The function of this platform is that of a support for and to take the strain from off the conveying-belts when pressed upon by the starching-rollers, as will be subsequently described herein.

The letter R designates a belt-roller that is arranged to be within the starch-trough and made with bearings that are adjustable in a direction toward the ends of the trough, one of them being shown at Fig. 7 as separated from the machine. These bearings for the shaft-journals of the belt-roller R are constructed upon the inner ends of arms A, of which there is one at each side of the machine, which at their outer ends are adj ustably connected to the machine-frame and therefrom extended downwardly into the starchtrough at the front end of the machine, so as to be adjacent to the side walls of the starchtrough thereat. Each of these armsA is made with a bearing a2 upon its inner end to receive one of the journals of the roller R', and

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these bearings a2 are preferably made with hinged bearing parts a3, connected by setscrews t' to the other portion of the bearings. One of these'arms A is shown as detached at Fig. 7 and with the hinged bearing-boxes as open.

The letter a4 designates a slot that is vertically formed in the outer ends of each of these arms A, and a5 pins that are upwardly projected from the top d6 of the frame on which the outer ends of each of `these arms rest, with the said pins projected upwardly through said slot at each side ol' the machine, and where projecting through the slot beyond the top of the frame a6 each of these pins is provided with a head a7, that projects over the slot, so as to overlap its sides, so that said pins act as guides for the movement of the arms A.

The letter d8 designates a set-screw that is threaded into the downwardly-projected end of each of the arms A, with the inner end of each of said set-screws, when screwed in, engaging with the downwardly-extended end part of the frame-top a6, on which the outer ends of armsA rest. As thus constructed and arranged,when the set-screws as are screwed in the arms A, together with the connected roller R are drawn outwardly, so as to increase the tension of the conveying-belt running on said roller R.

The letter R2 designates another belt-roller that islocated at the rear end of the machine, which roller is provided with bearings g', as shown at Figs. l and 5.

The letter R3 designates a belt-roller that is smaller than the rollers R and R2 and is located adjacent to and back of the latter. This roller R3 is provided with bearings in boxes e', arranged to slide horizontally at each side ot the machine. These bearing-boxes are operated in slides e2, provided with a spring e3, arranged between each of said bearingboXes e and a spring-block e4, and the letter e5 kdesignates a set-screw that is threaded into the plate e6, so that when the set-screws c5 at each side are screwed in they engage with the spring-blocks e4 and actuate the springs to crowd the bearing-boxes frontwardly and force the roller R3 closer to the roller R2.

The letter R4 designates a belt-roller having bearings for its journals at b2 at each side of the machine, these bearings being secured to a plate bwith the'latter adj ust-ably secured to the side frame-extensions f3 of the frame at the top thereof.

,'The letter b4 designates a slot made verticallyin each of the plates h3, and b5 designate pins that are upwardly projected from the top edge of the frame part f3 at each side of the machine, these pins passing up through the slots h4 of the plate b3, and where above the latter are provided with heads h6, that project over, so as to overlap the upper edges of the slots, and thus form guides for the longitudinal movement of the plates 193;

The letter Z designates a set-screw, which at each side of the nlachine revolves loosely in the upturned end bs of the frame-extension f3 and is threaded into the upturned end b9 of the plate b3, so that said set-screws can be operated to draw out rearwardly the bearingboXes of and the roller R4 when it is desired to put more tension upon the belt running thereon.

The letter B designates an endless conveying-belt that is adapted to run on the roller R over the top of the roller R2 to the roller R4 to make its return stretch by passing around the latter roller, to pass down over the roller R beneath the roller R2, back to the roller R', as shown at Fig. 5. The function and operation of this belt will be described subsequently.

The letter B2 designates another endless conveying-belt that is adapted to run under the rollers N and N2 on its lower andrearward stretch to pass around the roller N3, to make its return stretch over the roller N2 to the roller N4 to descend to the roller N', as shown at Fig. 5. These belts as operated move with the lower stretch of the upper belt B2 in contact with the upper stretch of the lower belt B', and where thus in contact move rearwardly. The belt-roller N has bearings for its journals at n2 each side ot' the machine. .The belt-roller N2 has journals in bearingboXes n3 at each side of the machine, each of which bearings is adjustable in a vertical slideway n4 to be operated upon by a pivoted lever n.5, having a downward-extending arm ns, that rests on the bearing-boxes at each side of the machine, and with said lever at its outer end provided with a weight nl. The belt-roller N3 has bearings for its journals in` theframe sides at hg. The bearings of the roller N4 are made longitudinally adjustable IOO in the upwardly-extending frame parts f4 by v the following mechanism:

The letter t3 designates a horizontal slideway that Vis constructed on the inner face of each of the frame parts f4, and t2 a slideplate adapted to move in each of said slideways. On the inner end of each slide-plate one of the journals t" ot' the rollerN4 is held.

The letter Z4 designates an ear that is projected from the inner side of each of the slide-plates 112, and the letter t5 designates an ear that is projected inwardly from each of the frame parts f4, and the letter lGdesignates a set-screw, which at each side of the ma chine extends through the ear 5 of each of` IIO j at each side of the machine.

Each of these bars I at its lower end connects with a horizontal rock-shaft S, the latter having its bearings in the frame F at y.

The letter B5 designates another bar thatis horizontally arranged between and connected to each of the oscillating bars I to move with them. Each of these oscillating bars I is made with a cross-head I-l, having constructed therein a vertical slide h3, and the letter h4 designates a slide-block arranged in each of said slides, and the letter j designates a journalbearing formed in each of said slide-blocks, the function of which will be explained -hereinafter.

The letter B4 designates a pitman, which at its inner end is journaled onto the bar B3 and at its other end is connectedwith a crank K, formed in the main driving-shaft S4. This main driving-shaft has its bearings in the frame F, and where projecting through and beyond the latter, as shown at Fig. 4, it has two fast pulleys thereon, besides a loose pulley, the fast pulleys being indicated at P2 and P2 and the loose pulley at P4, the pulley P5 being adapted to receive power from a driving-belt. (Not shown.)

The letter B5 designates a connecting-rod that on its inner end is journaled onto the cross-bar B3 and at its outer end connects at o2 with a crank K4 on the rock-shaft S5. The letter V designates a crank-arm arranged on and keyed to said rock-shaft S8 outside the frame F, as shown at Fig. l.

The letter o5 designates a connecting-rod, which at its lower end is pivotally connected with the crank-arm V at 'U4 and at its upper end v5 connects with a bell-crank lever o5, that is pivoted on the shaft S5 of the lower feedroller to2, so as to turn thereon, and the upper arm of this bell-crank leveris constructed with a pawl U15, that operates a ratchet-wheel K2, that is secured to said shaft S5. The let-- ter G2 designates a gear-wheel on the latter shaft inside of said ratchet-wheel, and this gear-wheel meshes into a gear-wheel G3 on the shaft S15 of the upper feed-roller to. As thus constructed and arranged when the bars I oscillate they operate the rock-shaft SS by means of the connection specified, and bymeans of the crank-arm Von said rock-shaft and the connection between the crank-arm and the ratchet-wheel K2, the feed-rollers w and to2 are actuated to move with intermittent periods of motion and alternating periods of rest by and through their geared connection G2 and G2, and to move at their peripheries at each reciprocation of the bar I about half the distance made by the conveyingbelts B' and B2 at each intermittent move-l ment made by the said belts.

While for most uses l prefer to operate the feeding-rollers with an intermittent rotation, yet for some kinds of work they may be operated continuously, provided their surfaces run at a slower rate of speed than the conveying-belts which carry the articles into the starching-trough, so that the articles being supplied to the machine when caught by the more rapidly moving belts Will be pulled upon and straightened out before passing under the operation of the starching-rollers. When the feed-rollers are thus moved continuously, they are operated by a modification of the mechanism as shown at Fig. 9, in which B7 is a belt receiving power from the continuously-moving driving-shaft, (not shown in this iigure,) and P7 and P5 pulleys arranged on the pintle-shaft S5, projected from the frame F.'

The letter P5 designates a pulley 0n the shaft S45 of the upper feed-roller w', and B5 a belt running on the pulleys P5 and P5, with the pulley P5 of a s ize sufficient to reduce the speed of the shaft S15 sufficiently to have it rotate the feed-rollers with less surface'speed than the movement of the belts B and B2, with the gear G3 of the upper feed-roller w meshing into the gear-Wheel G2 of the lower feed-roller to2 to move the latter.

The letter D designates a disk-wheel arranged onthe driving-shaft S4 on that end of the latter which is opposite to that on which the driving-pulley is placed and. where this shaft passes through to project beyond the frame F, as shown at Figs. 2 and 4. i

The letter d2 designates a connecting-rod that at d5 is ,pivoted to the outer face of the disk-wheel D, away from its center, as shown at Fig. 2.

The letter d4 designates a bell-crank lever that where its angular arms meet is pivoted to so as to turn on the shaft S5 of the beltroller R2. The arm d5 of the bell-crank lever is pivotally connected with the connectingrod d2 at d5. To the upper arm Z7 of the bellcrank lever d4 there is pivoted a pawl d8, and the letter d5 designates a ratchet-wheel arranged on and secured to the shaft S5 of the belt-roller R2.

The letter G4 designates a gear-wheel secured to and arranged on the shaft S5, and G5 a gear-wheel arranged on and secured to the shaft S5 of the roller N2, which last-named gear-wheelmeshes into the gear-wheel G4 to receive power therefrom. The letter G5 designates a gear-Wheel that is also arranged on and secured to said shaft S5, and this gearwheel G5 meshes into a gear-wheel G7 on the shaft g2 of the belt-roller N2, and the letter G8 designates a gear-wheel on the shaft of the roller R5, which last-named gear-wheel meshes into the gear-wheel G4 to receive power therefrom. By means of this connection, made with the disk-wheel D and the bell-crank le.- ver d4, its pawl, the ratchet-wheel on lthe shaft S5, and the before-named gear-wheels thereon, which mesh into gear-wheels on the shafts of the rollers N2, N3, and R5, these belt-rollers `are operated to give to the belts B and B2 IOO IIO

ISO

run on and to receive power from the main driving-shaft S4 and the pulley P2 thereon, and to also run upon the pulley p5, arranged on the shaft p6 of the rubbing-roller r2, and the letter g4 designates a gear-wheel arranged on said shat'tp(i back of said pulley, and which last-named gear-wheel meshes into another gear-wheel g5 on the shaft gG of the other rubbing-roller r4 to thus communicate continuous motion in opposite directions to the rubbing-rollers, the function of which will be described hereinafter.

Theletters Cf' designate two starching-roller carriers, of which there is one at each side of the machine, and each of these carriers C is provided with a journal y2, arranged to project from and at right angles to the outer side of the said carrier, each of said journals being adapted to turn in one of the sliding blocks h4 of the cross-heads H of the oscillating bars I, as shown at Figs. l, 2, and 6.

The letters A2 A2 designate two starchingrollers, each of which has a journal ff at its ends extending outwardly from the roller, so that when the carriers C are passed down over the roller-journals the latter will have a bearing in the inverted-U or semi-tube form bearings y2 of the said carriers at each side of the machine. By this construction and arrangement of the starching-rollers A2 A2 when the bars I at theirv upper ends are oscillated the carriers C and the starching-rollers A2 are reciprocatingl y moved over the lower stretch of the upper conveying-belt B2 where in contact with the upper stretch of the lower conveying-belt B.

The letter M' designates a cover placed between and connected to each of the carriers C at their sides near their tops. When the carriers are being thus reciprocated by the oscillation of the bars I, the slide-blocks h4, in which the said carriers are j ournaled, move in the vertical slides formed in the crossheads H at .each side of the machine.

The letters O- O designate another pair of starching-rollers that are located in the trough T in front of the rollers A2. These rollers O O are provided with carriers O2, each of which is made like the carriers C', before described, with the exception that instead of being journ aled inthe slide-blocks of the crossheafls I-I of the bars I each of these carriers C2, as located at opposite sides of the machine, is made to pivotally connect with one of the cross-h-eads H to receive reciprocating motion therefrom by means of a link L at each side of the machine, one end of these links connecting pivotally at Z2 to the carrier C2 and at the other end at Z with the crosshead I-I. Each of these carriers C2 is provided with selni-tube or inverted-U form bearings U, which are placed over the journals c2 of the rollers O.

The letter M2 designates covers that are placed over the carriers G2 to connect thelatter. As thus placed, when the carriers C are reciprocated the carriers C2 are also reciprocatingly moved over the lower stretch of the 2 rollers instead of two, there being one of these carriers arranged at each side of the machine connected by an intermediate cover M3. Each of these carriers C3 is furnished with semi-tube or inverted-U form bearings U to receive the journals c3 of .the starching-rollers .I .I J. These latter starchingrollers rest upon the lower stretch of the upper conveying-belt B2. The carriers C2 are each connected yby means of a link L2 with the cross-head H at each side of the machine to receive reciprocating motion therefrom.- Each of these links L2 connect at Z5 pivotally with one of the cross-heads H and at Z8 to a carrier C3.

The rollers N4 and N3 have an exterior covering of rubber, which is indicated at zof the sectional illustration of the roller-N4., (shown at Fig. 8,) and in which respects the rollers N2 and N4 are alike. This rubber coveringis ribbed or fluted circumferentially, as shown at r2 of said Fig. 8, and the object of so making the'rubber covering-is to prevent the belt B2 from working off the ends of the roller, said belt being made of loosely-woven material, as before described.

By means of the set-screws d8 in the arms A, in which the bearings of the roller R are placed,`as`these arms are moved outwardly and rearwardly the roller R is also moved rearwardly, which increases the tension on the belt B. The roller r3 runs with its surface moving in a direction opposite to that of the belt B', so as to be in contact with the upper stretch of the latter and articles ad-v hering to the upper surface thereof, and the roller r4 runs with its surface moving in the same direction as the belt B', but faster than the latter and in contact with the upper stretch thereof and articles adhering th-ereto. As thus constructed,as articles passing from the starching-rollers and adhering to the upper surface of the belt B come under the action of the rollers r2 and r4 they are rubbed by these rollers and straightened out, if wrinkled or folded,by being rubbed in opposite directions by said rollers and any surplus starch thereon is removed. By means` of the set-screws h7 in the upturned ends of the frame part f2 the tension of the belt B on the roller R4 is increased. By'means of the set-screws t6 the tension of the belt B2 is increased.

The operation of the apparatus thus illustrated and described is as follows: Hot starch having a proper condition of iiuidity being supplied to the trough T, the pulley of the driving-shaft is put in motion and the bars I are actuated to oscillate and reciprocatingly move the carriers C', C2, and C2 and their Starching-rollers over the upper surface of IIO IZO

ISO

the lowerl stretch of the upper belt B2 where moving 1n the ,same direction and resting upon the upper stretch of the lower belt B on the platform P, said belts being operated, as before described, with intermittent periods of motion. Articles to be starched are entered between the feeding-rollers moving slower than the said belts. The articles as thus entered are caught by the two belts, so as to be betweenl them, and are pullend upon by the latter moving faster than the reed-rollers, which pulls upon the articles to stretch them out and straighten them before descending with the belts into -the starch. While being moved rearwardly the articles between the conveying-belts are operated upon by the starching-rollers passing over the lower stretch of the loosely-woven upper belt to fill them with starch by repeated movements of said starching-rollers, from which operation the articles adhering to the upper surface of the upper stretch of the lower belt are passed under the influence of the rubbing-rollers tobe taken from the eX- tension m of the belt B' by the operator. The rubbing-rollers, moving in opposite directions, as before described, smooth out the articles, and by their opposite motion, where moving at their bottom surfaces, rub from them any surplus starch, the roller nearest the front end of the machine having its under surface running in the opposite direction to the belt B and the other running with its under sur facemoving in an opposite direction. The carriers C', with their starching-rollers A2, the carriers C2, with their starching-rollers O, the carriers C3, with their starching-rollers J, constructed and connected to be operated by the -oscillating bars I, as shown and described herein, are substantially the same in construction and arrangement as are shown in said older application before alluded to. The general construction and function of the starching-trough and its platform are also substantially the same as shown in my older application alluded to.

While I have illustrated and described the feed-rollers w and 102 as used-in connection with conveying-belts moving faster than the said rollers, the function of the rollers thus moved relatively to the more rapid movement of the belts would be the same as regards straightening out the articles to be starched, whether the said belts moved continuously or intermittently. Hence I do not limit my combinationof the feed-rollers actuated to move slower than the conveying-belts to the use of the latter so moved intermittently.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a starching-machine constructed with a starch-trough and having two conveying-belts operated to run therein, with the lower stretch of the upper belt in surface contact with the upper stretch for the purposes set forth.

of the lower belt when both belts are moving rearwardly, of starching-rollers constructed and operated to be moved back and forth and reciprocatingly rotated over the lower stretch of the upper belt, and a rearward extension of said lower belt beyond where the Upper belt separates therefrom to make its return stretch, substantially in the manner as and 2. The combination, with a starching-machine constructed with a starch-trough and having two endless conveying-belts operated to run therein, with the lower stretch of the upper belt in surface contact with the upper stretch of the lower belt, and starching-rollers operated to move over said belts, substantially as d escribed, of two feed-rollers actuated to rotate with the surface of the rollers moving at a slower speed than the'belts, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, with a starching-inachine constructed with a starch-trough and having two endless conveying-belts operated to run therein, with the lower stretch of the upper belt in surface contact with the upper stretch of the lower belt when moving rearwardly, of a rearward extension of said `lower ing in the same direction as the upper stretch of the belt-extension and the other one of said rollers having its bottom surface running in `an opposite direction, substantially in the manner as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination, witha starching-machine constructed with a starch-trough and having two conveying-belts operated to run upon rollers, with the lower stretch of the upper belt in surface contact with the upper stretch of the lower belt when moving rearwardly, of starching-rollers constructed and operated to be moved back and forth and re- Aciprocatingly rotated over the lower stretch of the upper belt in contact therewith and a rearward extension of said lower belt beyond where the upperbelt separates therefrom kto make its return stretch, with the roller on which said rearward extension of the lower belt runs to make its return stretch having its bearings in a slide-plate made with a guideslot and a guide-pin and connected with a setscrew in the machine-frame extension and arranged to be operated substantially in the manner as and for the purposes set forth.

Signed at Troy, New York, this 10th day of July, 1891, and in the presence of the two witnesses whose names are hereto written.

JOSEPH MOKAY.

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